No BNP representative in poll-time govt, polls under current parliament

The Awami League has brought together the overall preparation for the upcoming eleventh parliamentary elections slated to be held by the last week of December this year.

The party policymakers have reportedly finalized the size of the poll-time government, the total number of the representatives and some other issues related to the election-time governing body.

The probable candidates for more than 100 seats in the upcoming national elections have already been finalized while the names of 67 of them have been unveiled, according to the party insiders.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, however, in this connection said: “We are yet to make any selection in this connection. But, some party leaders, who are considered important, said to have got the nod from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for contesting the upcoming polls.”

“The list of the candidates will be finalized by October,” the road transport and bridges minister added.

The AL general secretary further said: “I have talked with the prime minister on the formation of the poll-time government and hope that it will be formed in mid-October. But, the size of the current parliament remains the same and we don't have any plan to incorporate any technocrat minister in the body.”

Seeking anonymity, another AL high-up said: “The size of the poll-time government will be as like as the election-time government for the 10th Jatiya Sangsad.”

The poll-time government during the 11th parliamentary polls would follow the same procedure that was followed during the 10th Jatiya Sangsad elections and there is no possibility of inclusion of BNP in that government, AL insiders told the Daily Kalerkantho.

Earlier, several numbers of AL senior leaders said that the government had no plan to include BNP in the poll-time cabinet as the party has no representative in the current parliament.